Equalizing-valve for steam-traps



4 Sheets-Shee 1 1Q IpB. DAVIS. EQUALIZING VALVE FOR STEAHM'TRAPS. No.301,968. Patented-July 15 j (No Mo.del.)

Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Moder.

' I. 'B. DAVIS.

v EQUALI ZING VALVE FOR STEAM TRAPS. I No. 301,968. Patented July15,1884.

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(No Mo de L I 4 Sheets-Sheet s.

' .I. B. DAVIS.

EQUALIZING VALVE FOR STEAM TRAPS.

No 301,968. Patented Ju ly 15, 1884.

(No Model.) 4 Sh eets Sheet 4.

I. B. DAVIS.

' EQUALIZING VALVE FOR STEAM TEAPS No. 301,968. Patented July 15, 1884.

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U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..-

ISAAC B. DAVIS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.-

EQUALIZING-VALVE FOR STEAM-TRAPS.

SPECIPICATI ION forming part of Letters Patent No. 301,968, dated July15, 1884.

Application filed April 27, 1883. Renewed June 18, 1884. (No model.)Patented in England February 26, 1884, No. 3,966.

To all whom itjnay concern.-

Be it known that I, ISAAC B. DAVIS, of Hartford, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain Improvements inEqualizing-Valves for Steam-Traps.

of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that. class of devices commonly known asequalizing-valves, employed to control the flow of steam, in connectionwith traps for returning water of condensation to a boiler, forsupplying feed-water to boilers, and for other like purposes. My valveembraces a reciprocating piston, which constitutes or actuates the valveproper, and by which the flow of the steam is controlled di rectly;also, a secondary rotary valve or spindle, by means of which the steamis admitted to force the piston-valve in one direction or the other, asrequired; also, appliances where by the water of condensation which mayaccumulate in the valve is automatically discharged therefrom.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 represents in elevation a steam-boiler, my improved valve, andthe appliances used in'combination therewith to return the condensationfrom a series of radiators or other condensing apparatus to the boiler.Fig. 2 is a horizontal central section of my valve on the line :0 m,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents a cross-sectionof the valve on the line 3/ y,Fig. 1, the main valve being opened, however, instead of closed, as inthe first figure. Fig. 4. is a crosssection of the valve on the line z2, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a section on the line z"z, Figs. 3 and 6. Fig. 6 isa cross-section on the line as m, Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is a longitudinalcentral section through a modified form of my valve. Figs. 8 and 9 arecross-sections of the same on the lines 6 e and f f. i 1

Referring to Fig. 1, A represents the pipe through which the waterresulting from the condensation of the steam is returned to the boiler,this pipe connecting with and delivering water intoa chamber or trap, C,whence it passes through the pipe 1) into the boiler E, below thewater-line. The trap or waterchamber 0 also connects at its top througha pipe,'F, with the top or steamspace of the boiler, so as to receivelive steam therefrom at the proper time.

G represents the equalizing-valve which constitutes the subject-matterof the present invention applied to the pipe F between the boiler andthe trap, for the purpose of closing said pipe during the properintervals.

Within the trap. G there is a float, H, connected through a lever, I,and rock-shaft J with an external lever, K, carrying a weight, L,serving as acounter-balance for the float. The lever K is connected by apitman, M, to

a lever, N, appliedto the controllingspindle of the equalizing-valve G,as shown. The arrangement of the parts is such that the equalizing-valveG stands normally in a closed con dition, whereby the live steam isprevented from passing through pipe F to the trap. The water ofcondensation flowing through the pipe A accumulates in the traporchamber O, gradually elevating the float Htherein. The float, throughits lever connections, upon reaching the top of the chamber, causes thevalve G to be opened, thereby admitting steam from the pipe F into thetop of the trap C, thus equalizing the pressure above and below thewater therein, the result of which is that the water flows by gravitythrough the pipe D into the boiler. The discharge of the water permitsthe float H to descend, the result being that I the equalizingvalve Gisjagain closed and the trap permitted to fall as before.

The general mode of action of the parts above described is similar tothat of apparatus now known in the art, and is recited herein inorder togive a better understanding of the purposes of my valve.

Passing now to the details of the valve G, which constitutes thesubjectmatter of the present invention, attention is particularlydirected to Figs. 1,2, and 3, wherein a represents the cylindrical bodyof the valve, closed and of such length that it may reciprocate therein.At one end the piston is made solid and of such size that when moved tothe right end of the cylinder this solid portion will cover the inletand outlet ports and effectually close the same, as shown in Fig. 2. Atthe opposite end the valve is provided with a circumferential groove orchannel, 0, of such size and location that when the piston is moved tothe left-hand end of the cylinder this channel will be brought in linewith the inlet and outlet openings and afford communication between thesame, thus permitting the steam to pass directly through the valve tothe trap. The movement of the piston to the right or left for thepurpose of opening and closing the valves is effected by admitting steaminto the piston opposite or against the two ends of the pistonalternately. This admission of the steam is controlled by means of thespindle I, extending longitudinally and centrally through the cylinderand valve, as shown in Fig. 2, the spindle being connected at one endwith the before-mentioned lever H, by which it receives a limited rotarymotion. The cylinder A is provided on one side with an independentchamber, 9, into which the steam is first received. At its two ends thiscylinder is provided with passages or ports h, leading to opposite endsof the cylinder-spindle I. The spindle I is provided at its respectiveends with two longitudinal grooves or channels, jj, formed in its side,each serving, when in proper position, to form a communication betweenthe corresponding port, h, and the interior of the cylinder. The twochannels 7' 7' stand circumferentially out of line with each other, sothat upon turning the spindle in one direction the portj willcommunicate with the port 7i and admit steam into the left end of thecylinder, while upon turning the spindle I in the opposite direction thechannel 7' will be thrown out of line with its port, and the channel jbrought opposite the port h, thereby admitting steam into the right endof the cylinder. Thus it will be seen that by rotating the spindle Isteam may be admitted into the two ends of the cylinder A alternately,the effect being that the steam acting upon one or the other end of thepiston-valve B will cause the same to move to the right or left,permitting the steam to pass through the main valve or preventing itsflow through the same, as required.

In order to provide for the escape of the water resulting from thecondensation of the steam within the cylinder, I provide means which Iwill now deseribe,attention being particularly called to Figs. 2, 5, and6. Two discharge-ports, k, extending fromopposite ends of the cylinderA, communicate by checkvalves m with opposite ends of a chamber, a,formed outside of the cylinder, and provided with a drip-pipe, 0. Thetwo cheek-valves have their spindles jointed to opposite ends of ahorizontal lever, p, pivoted at its middle in such manner that the twovalves will be opened and closed alternately. Two springs, q, seatedbeneath the ends of the lever, tend to hold the Valves normally, andwhen relievedfrom pressure in an intermediate position both valves open.WVhen, however, live steam is admitted to either end of the cylinder, itwill serve to close the corresponding check-valve, whereby the escape ofthe live steam will be prevented. This closing of the check-valve at oneend causes at the same time the opening of that at the other, so thatthe steam condensing at said opposite end, and also the exhauststeam, ifany there be, which is not uncondensed, may escape from the port pastthe chamber a, and thence through the outlet 0, which will communicatethrough a pipe or conductor with the steamsupply pipe or otherreceptacle.

The operation is as follows: The lever N being depressed as a result ofthe accumulation of water in the trap, the spindle I is turned in suchposition that the port 3" affords communication between the vport h andthe right end of the cylinder, whereupon live steam passing into thecylinder forces the piston-valve d to the left, thereby openingcommunication through the main valve, as represented in Fig. 3,permitting steam through the pipe F to the trap. When, however, thedischarge of the water from the trap permits the float to descend, thelever N is elevated, thereby turning the spindle I to the positionindicated in Fig. 2, the effect of which will be to cut off the supplyof steam at the right end of the cylinder, but admit steam through theport j to the left end of the cylinder, thereby causing the valve d tobe forced to the right, as represented in Fig. 2, closing the mainsteam-passage.

IVhile I have in the foregoing description described the main valve inthe form of a cylindrical piston or plug, and while it is preferred toretain such construction, I may employ sliding valves operated by therock-shaft or spindle J to control the admission of steam to oppositeends of the piston, and, instead of having the piston serve directly asa valve for controlling the flow of steam through the main ports, mayhave a sliding valve connected with and operated thereby for the purposeof closing the port, as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9.

\Vith the exception of the parts hereinafter enumerated, theconstruction is the same as in the preceding figures.

In lieu of the steam-admission ports formed in the rotary spindle J, thespindle is provided with openings at, arranged to engage in teeth formedupon the back of slide-valves b. The operating-valves rest in suchmanner that one of the valves is opened as the other is closed by therotation of the spindle and pinion, so that the steam is admittedagainst opposite ends of the piston alternately, causing the same toslide to and fro, as in the preceding form of valve.

The piston, instead of being constructed to serve directly as the valvefor controlling the admission of steam through the main ports h and h,is reduced or necked down at the middle and connected with aslide-valve, d, ar-

ranged to close the steam-admission ports, as plainly represented inFig. 7. The movement of the piston carrying this valve to and fro causesthe valve to alternately open and close the port over which it isarranged to slide. I

The parts connecting with opposite ends of the cylinder and the valvesfor permitting the discharge of the water of condensation are operatedin the same manner as in the structure first named.

, The construction represented in Figs. 7, 8, and 9 is an equivalent 0tthat represented in the preceding figures, in that it represents thecombination, in an equalizing-valve, of steam inlet and outlet ports, areciprocating steamactuating valve for closing said ports, secondaryvalves for admitting steam to opposite ends of the main valvesalternately, and two connected valves for permitting the escape of thewater of condensation and steam from opposite ends of the cylinderalternately.

The present invention is restricted to those matters and thingshereinafter claimed, and as to all matters and things which may bedescribed or shown, but which are not claimed, the right is reserved -tomake the same the subject of a separate application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isg 1. The cylinderprovided with inlet and outlet ports, in combination with thepiston-valve admission channels adapted to register alternately withsteam-admission ports, substanti ally as described.

3. In .an equalizing-valve, the combination 'of a cylinder provided withinlet-ports, the

steam-actuated valves controlling the passage of steam through theapparatus, the outletports 70, the check-valves m, and the springletopenings, the piston-valve, the rotary valve I, provided withsteam-admission channels, theports h h, connecting the spindle I withthe steam-inlet, the water-discharge ports 70,

and the water-discharge valves m, connected by means substantially asdescribed.

5. In an equalizing-valve, the combination,

substantially as specified, of steam inlet and outlet ports, thereciprocating steam-actuated valve for closing said ports, secondaryvalves for admitting steam to opposite ends of the main valvealternately, and two connected valves, substantially as described, forpermitting the escape of the water of condensation from opposite ends ofthe cylinder.

6. In an equalizing-valve, the combination of a cylinder and piston,whereby the closing of the main steam-passage is effected directly orindirectly, as described, the valves for permitting the escape of thewater of condensation from opposite ends of said cylinder, andconnecting mechanism, substantially as described, whereby the closing ofone of said waste-valves is caused to effect the positive opening of theother.

Isaac 13. nnvrs.

\Vitnesses:

J OIIN O. DAVIS, ALLEN H. NEWTON.

